Iona at Peterborough Crit

Iona at Peterborough Crit

Monday 15 July 2013

Essex Giro 2013

With Steph back from Malta, and Charlotte over form Jersey, we had 5 of us for the weekends race along with myself, Brit, and Hayley.

Stage 1 Individual TT, and Hayley led the way for the team with a great position of 6th in the morning's opening stage.  The TT course was part of an old   RR course used in previous editions of the Essex Giro, and so I knew the course well.  It was a tough lumpy 7 mile course and I managed a time of 19:20 to finish 22nd.

Stage 2, and the first Road Stage.  With what was turning out to be one of the hottest day's of the year, this was going to be tough.  After a hard weeks training the previous week, I could tell this wasn't going to be a good stage for me.  I lasted 1 lap before going backwards up the climb to the start finish line.  I saw Steph fly past me up the hill!
Steph did a fantastic ride finishing brilliant 25th in very testing conditions.

After day one, it was back to Sandra's who very kindly had us all to stay for the weekend.  Then out for food that evening, all organised by our most sensible member of the team!  A big thank you from us all there Sandra.


Stage 3, and an 80mile road race.  The day was cooler and the circuit looked to be less demanding.  It was just the distance rather than the hill's today.  The course was rolling with a few good small kicks up, and on the first lap, i found myself on the front of the bunch, (this was a good start for me!)  A few early attacks and I went after a couple of them.  First time up the small rise just after the first feed point and I decided to come to the front again, only to lose my chain around the corner.
Two girls now attacked off the front a London Dynamo and a Les Filles rider.  They got a little way up the rode then sat up!  I was on the front, well they weren't going very far!  Then Les Filles team mate went up the rode, she pressed on, but the other two didn't seem to be working.  It was then that two Les Filles girls came to the front to block and slow things down, I was now on the inside second wheel back and slightly blocked in.  At this point Hayley flew over the top, I was ready to jump and go with her, but couldn't get out, grrrr!  I thought best just try slow things down, I wondered a couple of times if i was to try jump away if i would be let go, but i didn't risk it as chances we're the bunch would chase.  After staying up front quiet easily for the first lap.  It then I found myself slip back through the bunch.  It was here, that I saw Brit who said that Steph had come down, and hadn't seen her get back on bunch!  I was close to back of bunch and thought maybe should drop back, knowing how good i am at riding at the back of a bunch!  But I then I somehow found I'd managed to get back to the front again, miracle!

Next lap and the bunch was slowed down, and the first thing we saw was our team car parked at the rode side, not good I thought, and then Steph's voice shouting encouragement to us!  There had indeed been a crash on the opening lap, I couldn't see Steph but there we're two riders on the ground covered in silver foil!

Next lap the bunch had picked up some momentum and seemed to be closing in on the break.  They had a lead of around 22seconds, when we came upon the the crash site next lap, the race was brought to a halt, while we waited for the Ambulance and Police to do their job.  Around 4 riders came down with two taken to hospital.  Steph thankfully was ok, her helmet doing it's job!  Her bike however was a bit worse for wear, with a crack in the frame!

The race was re started after 50 minutes and race distance reduced by a lap.  Hayley still in the break, their lead going out again.  Until Hayley punctured and with no service car near by, she was forced to wait until the bunch had passed her for a change of wheel.  2 laps to go and the break was in sight.  With no Hayley there now, I jumped off the front to the break, they had all but sat up.  It got them working again and prolonged things for a little longer, but we we're soon swept up by the bunch.  Last lap and things seemed a lot more hairy in the bunch.  I managed to move up a little before the 1 km to go, but a car coming the other way into finishing straight caused several riders ahead of me to break and so lost a position into the finish.  Brit had a much better day, more her type of course finishing 18th.  Sandra who had been comfortably in the main pack all race, rolled in a little after the main bunch over the finish, having seen Hayley puncture, she dropped back to help.  A pep talk form Sandra ensured Hayley finished the race, after an awesome job in the break for most of the race, there's nothing worse than puncturing with less than 2 laps to go!

So an eventful day for all, and everyone in one piece luckily!  It was then time to say good bye to Jersey girl once again, as Charlotte headed back home after her two weeks racing here.

Photos of the weekends racing:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/britishcyclingphotos/9279226984/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/britishcyclingphotos/9287034566/in/photostream/

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